The Sin of Pride

There is a sin that is in every
place man is. Before I begin I want all to know that I also in some ways
discover myself falling short of this sin at times. This I say so that
I would not appear as a hypocrite to Yahweh. But I do want to share some
things in His word about this silent sin. This sin is silent because it
is the sin itself that prevents men from admitting it.

Indeed, if we ever lifted ourselves
up... then let us put our hand over our mouth.

Proverbs
16:18 - Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a
fall.

Pride is deceptive.

Obadiah
1:3 - The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in
the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart,
Who shall bring me down to the ground? 4 - Though thou exalt thyself as
the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I
bring thee down, saith YHWH.

Proverbs
8:13 - The fear of YAHWEH is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the
evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

Yahweh hates pride. Even a proud
look is an abomination to Him.

Proverbs
6:16 - These six things doth YAHWEH hate: yea, seven are an abomination
unto him: 17 - A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent
blood, 18 - An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift
in running to mischief, 19 - A false witness that speaketh lies, and he
that soweth discord among brethren.

A proud look? Yes. Even a proud look!
Why?

I think that pride is one of the
most harmful sins a person can do. It decieves us. Often we think we don't
have it and later realize we do. Pride though...can drive a man to do about
anything. It can drive a man to be wealthy... artistic..(as in music) powerful,
famous.. and even religious.

Why does Yahweh hate pride so
much? Well, is there anything that we really have to be proud of ?? Think
of it, Yahweh created the heavens and the earth and all that is within.
Man has rebelled against his Creator from the beginning of time. Yes, from
Eden all the way up to today...Yahweh even sent His own Son to die for
us.. And many are too proud to even accept Him! We must be careful when
we say...We do this and that. It is Yahweh who gave us the breath of life.
Remember Job?

Job
38:1 - Then YAHWEH answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said, 2 - Who
is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? 3 - Gird up
now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.
4 - Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare,
if thou hast understanding.

Yahweh spends the next 2 chapters
declaring His worthiness and our inability to even come close to His might
and power.

Isaiah
2:12 - For the day of YAHWEH of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud
and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought
low:

We can read all those scriptures
in Proverbs about the fool. We see how much bad shape the fool is in....

Proverbs
26:12 - Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of
a fool than of him.

Even a fool has more hope than one
wise in their own eyes!

Proverbs
3:34 - Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth favor unto the lowly.

Yahweh loves the humble and opposes
the proud.

1Peter
5:5 - Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes,
all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility,
for "YAHWEH resists the proud, but gives favor to the humble."

With pride...there is no room for
Yahweh.

Psalms
10:4 - The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek
after Elohim: Elohim is not in all his thoughts.

If we are great in our own eyes...Will
Yahweh show us truth? Will we accept His ways?

James
4:13 - Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and
such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit"; 14 -
whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life?
It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.
15 - Instead you ought to say, "If YAHWEH wills, we shall live and do this
or that."

In all that we do, it must be for
Yahweh. Any other work is a wasted work. When singing a hymn or a song...it
must be done for Yahweh, not for those who may be watching. When writing
a sermon or message...it must be for Yahweh, not because we want others
to give us honor. Let's look at David...When he fought the Goliath...was
it with his own might that he boasted?

1Samuel
17:45 - Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword,
and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of
YAHWEH of hosts, the Elohim of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.

He saw beyond the flesh. David was
small in the eyes of the people. Isn't that what Yahweh often does? He
takes a small thing...and does mighty things with it so that His name will
be honored!

Micah
6:8 - He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth YAHWEH require
of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy
Elohim?

Isaiah 66:1
- Thus saith YAHWEH, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool:
where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my
rest? 2 - For all those things hath mine hand made, and those things have
been, saith YAHWEH: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor
and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.

Do we tremble at His word? Or search
it...that we might find accusation against another? Do we read His word
seeking for things that might convict our heart? Or things that we might
use to show others that we are right?It is good to seek the truth..and
share with others... but I think it is better when it convicted us first.

Putting other people down is another
thing from pride. I've met many a person that part of their personality
was putting others down.. so that they might appear better and wise. They
might even make false accusations against others.. so that they themselves
appear righteous. Gossip often comes from pride. Pride causes arguments
and strife in our homes.

Proverbs
28:25 - He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife: but he that putteth
his trust in YAHWEH shall be made fat.

1Timothy
6:3 - If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even
the words of our Master Yahushua the Messiah, and to the doctrine which
is according to reverence; 4 - He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting
about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings,
evil surmisings, 5 - Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute
of the truth, supposing that gain is righteousness: from such withdraw
thyself.

It is often the root of rebellious
children. It is quite elusive. What kept many of the Pharisees from accepting
the Messiah? Was it not pride?

John
12:42 - Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him;
but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should
be put out of the synagogue: 43 - For they loved the praise of men more
than the praise of YAHWEH.

It certainly was there. Even a prayer
can be driven by pride. I think that when we start to speak in our prayers
as if Yahweh isn't in the first person....pride is often the reason I've
heard this...many times but at some point..the one offering prayer isn't
talking to Yahweh anymore but to the people. Prayer is not to be a performance,
it is an offering...a pure holy offering without blemish unto Yahweh. In
prayer, we are speaking TO Yahweh.Remember this prayer..

Luke
18:10 - Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and
the other a publican. 11 - The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself,
Elohim, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust,
adulterers, or even as this publican.

This man prayed 'thus with himself'.

Luke
18:12 - I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
13 - And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as
his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, Elohim be merciful
to me a sinner. 14 - I tell you, this man went down to his house justified
rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased;
and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

"Every one that exalteth himself
shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." Important
words for today!

Luke
14:7 - And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked
how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them, 8 - When thou art
bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest
a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him; 9 - And he that bade
thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin
with shame to take the lowest room. 10 - But when thou art bidden, go and
sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may
say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the
presence of them that sit at meat with thee. 11 - For whosoever exalteth
himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Even so, it is better to be humbled
in this life.. than in the next! For all things hidden will come to lightBefore I close, I do want to
share a scripture that shows a different kind of 'pride'.

Jeremiah
9:23 - Thus saith YAHWEH, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither
let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his
riches: 24 - But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth
and knoweth me, that I am YAHWEH which exercise lovingkindness, judgment,
and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith YAHWEH.

I don't think this gives us the go
ahead to be self righteous like the scribes and pharisees... But let our
honor be in that we are servants of Yahweh. It is not a shameful thing
to serve Yahweh. It is an honorable thing to serve the KING, HalleluYah!
And we are blessed to be His servants. All of the longsuffering and mercy
and love that He has had for us, just so that we could be His own. We are
blessed to be servants of the Most High. Yahushua paid the ultimate price
so that we could. Let's not waste it on vanity, let's exalt Yahweh!